the battle of hastings, sometimes called the battle of senlac, took place at senlac hill near what is now the town of battle in east sussex, about 8 miles from hastings. king harold 11 and his saxon army had recently returned from their victory at the battle of stamford bridge in yorkshire on 25 september.
william duke of normandy, had landed at pevensey with an army of knights on on 28 september to lay claim to the english throne.
william was the last to land, as he placed foot on the shore he made a false step, and fell flat on his face. consternation ran through the troops at this incident as a bad omen, but with great presence of mind william sprang immediately to his feet, and showing his troops a handfull of english sand, exclaimed: "what now? what astonishes you? i have taken this seisin of this land with my hands, and by the splendour of god, as far as it extends it is mine-it is yours!"
the battle was hard fought: harolds foot soldiers armed with spears and battle axes repulsed williams cavalry, archers and crossbow men. a change in tactics by williams troops in the afternoon however, when they continually feigned flight only to turn and attack the enemy, finally broke down the english defence, and harold himself was killed by a stray arrow that pierced his left eye and entered his brain.
the events leading up to the battle, and the battle itself, are depicted in the bayeux tapestry, an embroidered linen said to have been commissioned by odo, bishop of bayeux and half brother of william the conquerer.

Location: The Weary in spirit cannot withstand fate, and nothing comes of venting spleen; wherefore those eager for glory often hold some ache imprisoned in their hearts.

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Re: 14th October honour the English dead.

A few points about Hastings and the Hastings campaign:

Harold was most likely dispatched by a “hit squad” of four knights sent in by William to take advantage of the distraction caused by the final assault on the huscarls after the shield wall had crumbled. He may have been wounded by an arrow, but the arrow in the eye story may well come from Harald Hardrada, not Harold Godwinson, who was killed by an arrow in the windpipe.

The feigned retreat of the Normans is also some what dubious given the depth of control and command needed to wield even a small force of horsemen, let alone the forces under William’s control. A full scale panic, such as the Breton forces breaking, probably did compel the English to run after the Bretons, but to carry this off several times supposes a depth of control I find unlikely, and presupposes the Fyrd were some what stupid to fall for the same trick over and over again.

The Norman army was in dire straits by around 16.00pm when the battle likely ended, given this is just before dusk in pre-daylight saving time. The assault that broke the shield wall was really the very last throw of the dice for the Normans. They had bled the English steadily through out the day, by alternating cavalry and infantry assaults, but the shield wall still held.

The English used cavalry and archers at Stamford Bridge, but neither appeared at Hastings. The archers were not a mounted force, and Harold in his over-confidence, and nervousness to decide the issue, had no intention of waiting for them. The English had begun to use small numbers of cavalry, along the lines of much of the rest of Western Europe, before 1066. They were largely confined to the Welsh Marches, and would have been of no use for the defensive battle plan Harold adopted for Hastings.

Ive been playing all the Forefather albums in honour of the day,and raise a cheer to all the brave englishmen who died that day in service to there king and country.
Such a pity after the amazing battle at stamford bridge,that harold could not pull of another victory.
In my humble opinion he should have waited before fighting,got more men and maybe the normans would have run down of supplys and may have either left or attempted to move for more supplys,where harold could have caught them on the march.
How i wish the useless british film industry would make films of our proud history like the battle of hastings and harold,for they surley deserve it.
Also what a horrid thought that as the next few decades come and go,unless we do something now,the scum that may be the marjority one day,could well decide to build a mosque on the hallowed grounds.
May sound crazy,but in parts of london they have already had statues to british generals removed because they offend them.
So imagine if they became the main force in the country,what they could well do to our holy places does not bare think to much about.
Any way, RIP to all the heros of that horrific day,may there souls give us all the strength to fight.